Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-10-05

| LcSisI AhSci AciouCc Will net rights, even
| in fancy.
Sne undertook to quiz Eva about
Mr.. DAVIS attentions 10 her, and sue
ceeded in tormenting the sensitive girl
until she imagined that Eya's blushes
and confusion were caused hS thoughts
OF Norton, not by her own cruelty.
"The little fool has dared to fall in
love with him herselfi'' she thought.
IN jealous rage. ''Oh, but I'll punish
/ her well for it'll Oh, but I'll pay her
/ outl And Norton, tool I'll make him
help me to my revengeI"
And she smiled-a terrible smile.
| For there was born in Laura's brain,
| Just then, Plan for revenge cruel
/ enough for iend much more for a
/ woman Take care. Miss LauraI You
are playing with edged toolsl Be very
cautious, lest you cut your own tingersl
well, Miss Darnall," she said,
turning to Eva with that wicked smile
still on her face, ~ will pardon you
both this time. But you see, Mr.. DAVIS
has fallen In love with you, and 1
shan't Ike it if you let HIM be too at
| tentivei"
''Oh, Miss ElliottI How can you say
such cruel things?" pleaded poor Eva,
colOring painfully.
"Tisn't c.uel, it's truel" insisted
Laura. II dare say he'll tell you so
some time, and if he does, yield my
claIml l don't want him if he likes
you better"
And Miss Laura flOunced out of the
room, leaving poor, frightened Eva to
cry and to think, and to wish-oh, so
muchl-that it were not wrong to t~iuk
OF Norton, and 10 hope that some day
4,
littleI
An evening or two later Laura re-
vealed her plan 10 Norton, and besousht
his aid To carry out her good joke on
Eva Norton looked at her aghast.
Tie could not believe one woman could
be willing SO 10 outrage another.
Laura, are you in earnest? Do you
actually wish me to lend myself TO your
schemeI" he asked.
Certainly l do. It will be the best
joke in the worldi'' cried Laura "She
Will think it is all In earnest, and won't
she be sold, when she finds it Is only a
jOke?" And Laura laughed heartily In
anticipation OF the fun.
Norton looked steadily at her, aud
kept down feeling which wanted 10
show Itself in his face.
~ think she will, Indeedln he said,
grimly. ''Well, Laura, consent. Only
you must break the Ice for me. Since
you began 1t you must carry it a little
further. 1 don't know Just how to
O-gIn such an affair You say the first
words. and I'll follow. Otherwise. I'll
have nothing to do with your joke. >"
"All right, I'll do that much +" said
Laura, gayly. But you know you
must seem very in earnest, Norton, or
she Will not believe YOU"
IL promise TO seem so much IN earn
est as to astonish even you," answered
Norton. And had Laura seen the ex-
preston of his face Just then she might
have hesitated to go on with her plan.
The next day, when Eva came into
the room where she usually worked,
she found Mss Laura and Davis both
here.
Turning, with a blush, she was
about 10 retire instantly from the room,
when Miss Laura called out:
Come in, Miss DaTnall. We were
waiting for you'll
For me2" repeated Eva, pausing,
confusedly.
"You; come here and shut the door.
Mr.. Davis has something 10 say TO you,
and he is afraid you Will be angry, so
have agreed 10 help him. Miss Darnall,
Mr.. Davis and / have mutually agreed
that we are tired OF each other, and
have broken our engagement He
wishes to marry you, and he Is afraid
to ask you. There, now I've told 1t
settle 1t between you.
And Laura vanished from the room,
leaving Norton and Eva together.
Eva, too, tried to run away.
"Oh, let me gol" she cried. This
is too cruel a iokel'
But Norton caught her and held her
fast, as he said with a singularly earn
est air for a man who WAS playing a
ioae:
NO, by Heaven, Eva, it is not a
iokel II is "a true as truth can bel /
have broken with Laura, and 1 have
seen how good and true and gentle you
are, ard love you, and l want you for
my own little wlfeI Ii you will have
me, / will try all my life to make you
happy, my own sweet, sweet Eval
VIII you darling? Could you learn to
love me2n
He drew her head to his shoulder,
and Eva, bewildeTed, frightened, but
oh, so happy, let IL lie there, as she
confessed that she had learned already,
and promised what he asked
Laura excused Eva from working
any more, and Norton took her home,
where he asked, and gainei, her
mothers consent TO their marriage.
He urged il at once, saying thers
was no need OF waiting. He Was en-
tlreIy free. Laura herself had set him
free, and he would like to make Eva
his own before aHy gossip got wind.
He convinced both Eva and her mother
that he was not marrying her merely
because Laura had Tilted him out
because he really loved her, and wanted
to make her happy. She needed MS
care and his pleasant home, he SAID,
| and at last she consented.
SO while Laura sat at home that
afternoon, laughing over her fine fun,
and waiting TO hear from Norton no"
soon the wedding would take place,
that she might assist In carrying OUT
the farce, a neighbor or two met IN
| Mrs. Darnall's pretty cottage, and very
| soon Norton Davis came II With hlh'
| Ister. Io,,
Eva had tremblingly arrayed herself
| in her best dress, and IN few moments
more she was standing upon the nooi,
| leaning upon Norton DAVIS arm, anu
| the Reverend Doctor Barbour was
speakInp the magic words which maue
| her Norton's WIFE
III Norton Davis was carrying out .
Joke. he was doing IL in manner Sc
cruel as to exceed even Miss Laura
| Elliott herself!
And it was, In that case. very WRONG
in HIM to clasp Eva to LIS heart anu
kiss her as he did the very moment tns
ceremony was ended, and whisper:
"My own now forever, past any one
taking from me-" -,
Really, Norton Davis wore 2 yer,
strange manner for man VINO Wa:
decelving not only trusting gir,' @ ou
an earnest minister or the 6oSpei' "nN
doing a very daring thing oesloss1
That night Laura waited for Noltou
who would come to tell het now ~.
/ Sha wOulQ QaF6 "